Sarah Thomas

April 25, 2017

Grade: 2nd
Subject: English Language Arts

Demo Lesson: Exploring Point of View and Opinion in Fiction

Focus Question: How does understanding the point of view of a character help inform our
own opinions?

Lesson Objectives:
SWBAT: identify that different characters have different points of view
SWBAT: use evidence from the text to support their own opinions verbally and in
writing
SWBAT: recognize that point of view informs their own opinion about a situation

Common Core State Learning Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.6: Acknowledge differences in the points of view of
characters, including by speaking in a different voice for each character when
reading dialogue aloud.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3: Describe how characters in a story respond to major
events and challenges.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.1: Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic
or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the
opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons,
and provide a concluding statement or section.
Possible Connection to Prior Knowledge: Under the Common Core State Learning
Standards, students learn in first grade to identify different characters in a story and which
character is speaking at different parts in a story, an understanding that is necessary for
analyzing characters point of view.

Materials:
Chart paper and markers
Smart board
Point of view cartoon (to be shown on smart board)
Copy of book Hey, Little Ant. By Phillip and Hannah Hoose. Tricycle Press. New
York, NY. 2015.
Two versions of opinion writing graphic organizer

Lesson Development:

I. Warm Up: Introducing Point of View and Opinion (5 minutes)

1. Teacher will tell students she wants to find out who in the class thinks cats make
better pets and who thinks dogs make better pets. Ask students to raise their hand if
they think cats are better pets. Then ask students to raise their hand if they think
dogs are better pets. Students will then turn and talk to someone who has a different
opinion about why they chose cats or dogs.
2. A few students will share out their opinions
3. Teacher tells students that they have just shared their point of view. Point of view is a
persons perspective, it is based on that persons experiences, preferences, beliefs,
etc. Point of view also includes your opinions.
4. Show point of view cartoon on smart board (see end of lesson plan). Ask for students
to make observations about what they see:
a. To the child on the left, the puddle is deep because he is short but to the man
on the right it is shallow because he is much taller than the boy.

II. Guided Engagement (10 minutes)

Tell students that today they are going to be exploring point of view and opinion in a book
called Hey, Little Ant. Show students the cover of the book and ask them whose point of
view and opinions do they think they will learn about.

Read the story all the way through without stopping. Then tell the students that they are
going to think together about whether they agree that the boy should squish the ant or not.
Introduce the T-chart to record the evidence from the book that supports the ants opinion
that the boy should let him live, and the boys opinion that he should squish the ant. Elicit
responses from students and record them on the T-chart.:
 Should the Boy Squish the Ant?
Yes! (boys point of view) No! (Ants point of view)

III. Independent Engagement (10 minutes)

Students will be shown the opinion graphic organizer (see end of lesson plan for examples)
and sent back to their tables to work on it independently, referring to the notes on the t-chart
to help them.

IV. Group Share (5 minutes)

Students will return to the meeting area and a few will share what they wrote in their graphic
organizers.

Assessment:
Students will be formatively assessed based on their responses during the turn and talks
and whole group discussions. Their summative assessment is the opinion graphic
organizer.
Differentiation: I have created an additional graphic organizer that contains a sentence
starter to assist any students who may struggle with writing.

Materials Used:

Opinion Writing Graphic Organizer (Two Versions)

Point of View
Cartoon